Thankstaking with impressive wingspans
by emjai
Summary: Rory and Jess left eachother on cold terms, ne'er to speak again. But now, on a thanksgiving 8 years after the break up- things seem to have changed... FUTURE LITERATI with L/L, L/D. T/OC
1. Parade, as in 'rain on my'

A/N: NEW PROJECT!!! Yay! 

Feeback would be most appreciated, munchkins!!

Love hugs and coffee mugs 

Xoxoxoooxx

Emjai

Chapter One:  **Parade(**** as in 'rain on my,')**

"And finally, a mishap occurred in a local farm today when miss Daisy Cohen dropped one of her sewing pins in a bail of hay – stymied by the hay, Miss Cohen and her family could not find her sewing pin and have regrettably announced that they are to buy a new one…soon.

Join us tomorrow morning for the sunshine news at five, I'm your host – Rory Gilmore, for the 1080AM, WTIC – Hartford," Rory sighed into the mike as she finished her afternoon broadcast.

_Two years at the most prestigious school in __Hartford__, _

_Four years at the most prestigious university in the country…_

_A degree in communications and journalism…_

_And the greatest bit of news I get to tell the world is that Daisy lost her needle in a haystack. _

_What's it all worth, eh?_

_The whole notion of 'someday' has worn itself into the ground… _

She smiled sadly and finished off her latté,

_Well, if I had everything I ever dreamed of – life would be pretty damn boring…_

_So, I guess fickle fate just wants to keep me on my toes…_

_That bitch._

She stood up and made her way out of the WTIC building, greeting her co-workers as she passed.

 She stopped as she reached Larry Carmichael's – the resident radio-veterinarian – desk. Resting on top of his PC was a piece of tinsel…

_Not already?!_

_It was only july a few days ago!_

She leaned over the small cubicle to find larry's calendar.

The page, no matter how many circles, crosses, birthdates and comments clogged it, showed clearly that not only was it November – but it was three days until thanksgiving.

_Aw, gee!  _

"Thought it was still July?" a mocking voice came from behind her.

She spun around to find her best friend and room-mate, Sarah, looking rather amused.

Rory gave the famous Gilmore withering stare, then launched into conversation mode,

"Seriously, though! Wasn't it like – last week – that we lay on the sofa's, totally STUFFED with food, still shovelling ourselves ice-cream while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade?"

"Well, yeah," Sarah admitted, "but we were just stuffed with food like usual while watching the tape of last years parade!"

Rory frowned, "why would we record last years parade, let alone watch it?"

Sarah shrugged, "I dunno, it was your idea!"

"Yeah…well…since when do you ever listen to me, anyhow?" Rory huffed as she gathered up her things and marched down the hall, Sarah followed,

"Since I have nothing better to listen to because you burned my Mariah carey cd!"

Rory stopped and shook a finger at Sarah,

"I could not live under the same roof as that! I told you it was either IT... or me!"

"Yeah! And you burned it before I could kick you out!"

Rory grinned and stepped inside the elevator,

"I'm not as dumb as you look!"

The doors were sliding close, 

"lame call!"

"what did you expect?"

"just that lame a response, afterall you are a GILMORE!" 

the doors clunked shut as the two burst into giggles.

Rory rested her 

_Oh so weary   _

Twenty-six year old body against the walls and closed her eyes.

_Mmmm__ at least I have a friend like her to make as much fun of me as possible…_

_Ah – so much like home!_

Half an hour later she was stumbling in the front door to her apartment.

_We really shouldn't leave our shoes here…_

_Meh__ – oh well_

She kicked off her shoes – leaving them in the mounting pile blocking the doorway- and made her way to the kitchen, where she pressed play on the answer machine whilst pouring her 6th coffee of the day.

*BEEP* "You have..FOUR.. new…messages."*BEEP*

*BEEP BEEP* "hey rory, its sarah,"

_haha__ must be bored at work again_

 "I'm bored at work again. Darren has given me the 4.30pm news report so I'll be on an hour after you. So if you get this… and I've already seen you… and hopefully made a mockery of you – as is tradition, my dear sweet Borey -  remember to ignore this message. But. If I haven't seen you … here are the insults of the day :"

Rory laughed as her friend listed as many rude things as she could think of,

_Ah, she's losing her touch…_

_----**flashback----**_

**Rory glanced at her orientation booklet, **

**_Room 54…_**

**_Isn't that a seedy nightclub?_**

**She gazed again at the huge mahogany door with the brass numbers "54" on it.**

**_…here we go…_**

**Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.**

**She jumped as she heard a muffled wail - **

**"Coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooomiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!"******

**Suddenly the door was flung open to reveal a disgruntled girl – who had obviously been woken from her slumber.**

**_Oh that's gotta suck as a first impression…_**

**She took a good look at the girl standing in front of her..**

**_Mmm_****_ long red hair… bright green eyes… short-ish…_**

****

**_Fluffy bunny pyjamas…_**

**Rory grinned at her, **

**"hi, you must be sarah… I'm rory Gilmore…and I guess – well, it says that this is my room, so .. we're room-mates!"**

**Sarah stared long and hard at rory…**

**_Why does this remind me of a physical… _**

****

**"yeah."**

**That was the last thing rory heard before the door slammed in her face.**

**----end flashback---**

"so, yeah – that's enough for today! I'll be back by seven hopefully, dinner better be ready when I get in that door, donna reed! .. WHAT??? … NO!!! GODDAMIT, DANNY!!! I ASKED FOR THE STORY ON THE BEAR ATTACKS- NOT THE NEW CINEMAX!!!!" *BEEP BEEP*

_gee__, sare, danny's only been there two days!..._

Rory pouted

_I guess I'll just have to get the rest of the team to be nicer to the new intern…_

*BEEP BEEP* "hey! It's lane!"

 Rory squealed.

"just checking to see whether you were home yet – I called earlier but sarah refused to tell me where you were, saying something about screening your calls because of you performing an exorcism on her favourite cd's… so .. yeah! Give me a call later!" *BEEP BEEP*

_I'll call her back during dinner – she always loves to hear how much food I can shove in my mouth and still be able to say 'the dead presidents' at the same time…_

_Ah how 'chubby bunny' has evolved…_

*BEEP BEEP* "hey sarah, hey mary – tristan here - just a little message to check whats doing. Sarah – don't forget, I'm picking you up at 6, not 7 – it'll be a trek but , rest assured, the restaurant is beautiful… Mary- nice broadcast on the man who found his lost sock!   Bye girls!" *BEEP BEEP*

_his__ 'sense of humor' will never change, it seems…_

_I suppose I'll just have to make do with the fact that he's better than he used to be…??_

----**flashback_---_**

**It was rory's first day and she was just going back to her locker when a guy from her class comes up behind her,**

**_"I'm Tristan," he says, eyeing her._**

**_He seems nice, maybe we'll turn out to be good friends…_**

**Rory grinned, "Hi." **

**Tristan smirked and moved in closer to her, "So you new?" **

**Rory faltered,**

**_Something seems a little… off… with him… "Yeah, first day." _**

**Nodding and smiling sympathetically, he moved closer still, "Remmy's class is rough."**

**_..maybe not_**

**Rory responds with a nod, "Yeah, it seemed very intense." **

**_….he wasn't this close before… how did he move so fast?_**

**He was moving closer still, so she backed up…**

**_ What is he…_**

**Tristan moved his head back an inch, "I could loan you my notes, if that would help." **

**_I'll catch up! That's so nice of him!_**

**Rory grinned once more, "Really? That's be great!"**

**They were inches apart and he pressed her up against the lockers, "Yeah? How great?"**

**Rory was appauled.**

----**end**** flashback---**

Rory took a swig of orange juice from the fridge as she listened for the final message.

*BEEP BEEP* "hey sweets, its me! You know! You're mother! Yea… reckognize my voice??? Want me to sing? Lalalalaaaaaaaa" " LORELAI!!!" "oops, SORRY LUKE! Anyway – it's the most.. wonderful tiiiiime of the yeaaaaaaaaaar!" "LORELAI, I  MEAN IT!" "haha, ok ok ok… rory, its thanksgiving in three days and you haven't told us whether you're coming or not! …I don't want to miss out on everyone seeing you again! Last year was sarahs – this year is mine! MINE! ALLL MINE! MUAHAHAHHAHA" "LORELAI!!!!!" "…but… i… HEY! DON'T-" "rory, it's luke. Call us if you're coming. Bye." *BEEP BEEP*

_thanksgiving__ at mom's…everyone seeing me again…_

_everyone__?_

_No… it couldn't be everyone – **he's still in the outback somewhere, probably busking for his food…**_

_No that's not his style.__ He'd never beg. _

_He may have knocked over a few banks by now…_

_Whatever gets him where he wants to go, I guess…_

---**flashback---**

**The Gilmore table looked as if a swarm of locusts – or worse, Gilmores- had attacked it. And indeed they had. The turkey was left as a carcass and the bowls of food on the table were empty – except for the green beans, of course.**

**Everyone was chatting happily around the dining room when Jess stood up and tapped his glass.**

**Rory frowned,**

**_What is he doing? _**

**"Ladies," he nodded at Rory, " and gentle-freaks," he gestured to the rest of the room,**

**"I have a small announcement to make. . ."**

**_oh_****_ my god… he's finally going to do it… he's going to propose! _**

**_I'm going to marry the love of my life and live happily ever after with my soul mate…What sort of dress will I wear? Sookie will have to do the cooking… _**

**_Ooooh_****_ flowers!!_**

**"… so I have decided to take a sabbatical and travel around the world on my own."**

**Rory could do nothing but stare…**


	2. Cranberry sauce, flows from my heart

_A/N: here you go kids, chapter 2!!!! This is in jess' p.o.v … he's in __Fez__ and some parts are in French. At the end of the chapter there are the translations in case you can't understand – but they aren't necessary. This chap is a lot more flashback based .. so yeah.  So… enjoy!!!  Ooh am I supposed to do the whole I don't own people thing? Ok… I don't own anyone associated with the Gilmore girls. I DO own the characters of Sarah, Abby and James, Although these are based on real people._

_Read on , rave on, review_

_Love hugs and coffee mugs_

_Xoxoxo___

_Emjai___

Chapter Two: **Cranberry sauce (flows from my heart)**

"vous aiment des fritures avec cela?" Jess droned, 

A toothy morrocan woman grinned at him, "non, Monsieur - mais vous avez un bel âne." 

_No, mister – but you have a beautiful … 'âne'? âne… wasn't in my French-english dictionary…_

The woman licked her lips…

_Oh dear god please tell me âne is food… please dear god…_

He forced a smirk

_Hey ,__ it's the closest thing this old bat is going to get to a smile from me_

_"voici votre repas - ayez un beau jour"_

The woman – who suddenly reminded him eerily of miss patty – nodded, "vous aussi, garçon sexy "

_Ok. Now 'garcon sexy'?! I KNOW its not cool to go around calling people 'sexy boy'!_

 Jess shuddered and as the next customer came up to him.

_Okay what is wrong with me? I am here in __Fez__, the most interesting city in the world… working in…_

_Oy__ it even shames me to THINK it…_

_Mcdonalds__…_

_Sigh – my life is a proverbial toilet._

He craned his neck see the clock, 

_HAH! I'm out of here – I've been working 15 minutes over time!_

He excused himself from the customer, threw his apron in the staff room and bolted out of the door and across the street – 

*BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*

"sortez de la manière que vous chiez tête"

He turned to see an angry man speeding down the street screaming at him…

_Huh._

---**flashback---**

**Jess smirked at Rory**

**_A sweet little 'princess' like her?_****_ A foreign correspondent? Not god damn likely!_**

**_"_****You're gonna crawl around in trenches and stand on top of buildings and have bombs going off in the background and some wars raging all around you?"**

**Rory pulled back, hurt.**

**"What, you don't think I can do it? "**

**_Wow, she seems horrified – obviously nobody has ever doubted her before…well, I guess its obvious why! … maybe I should be a little nicer… but think of what this could do to my reputation!... heck, I'll risk it._******

**"No, I do. Just sounds a little too – " **

**Rory interrupted him,  "A little what?"__**

**_Ooookaaaaaaay_****_! I've obviously hit a nerve! … red alert! Red alert! Back up before she starts crying!_**

**"Just sounds a little too rough for you." **

**Rory pulled a face, "Well, it's not a little too rough for me. I hope it's not a little too rough for me, I've been talking about this forever,"**

**_Oh god… I've inserted a seed of self-doubt… oh god .. female-inner-torture will ensue…_**

**_"_**** I**** mean, I don't even know what I would do if – ." **

**_shit_****__**

**Jess butted in, " Hey, I didn't mean to freak you out. I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll do it. You will, I promise. I'll help you practice, okay? Tomorrow, you'll stand in the middle of the street and I will drive straight at you screaming in a foreign language." __**

**_….. we wait…_**

**Rory smiled, " Well, you're gonna have to learn a foreign language first."**

**Aaaaand**** we're free**

**"well, it's lucky I got me a tutor isn't it?"**

---**end**** flashback---__**

Jess frowned as he remembered, then turned and gave the finger to the driver while shouting, "soyez silencieux, tête de pénis!"

_Ahhhh__ pocket dictionary – where would I be without ye!_

He caught the bus to his apartment building where he ran up to 'home'.

He opened the door to a familiar sight, 

_Not again – I'll be blinded by the end of the week, I swear!_

"ABBY! STOP"

the couple on the sofa parted – the man blushed while the woman merely rolled her eyes,

"jess, you're my room mate, not my father .. for christ's sake do you know how many times I've been grossed out when I walked in on YOU?"

Jess pretended to think, "how about none!"

She clucked her tounge, "yea and why do you think that is, you loser ?" she grinned, "I thought you were working tonight?"

_Uhuh__ ..__ smooth change of topic_

"I swapped shifts with pav," he moved over to the couch and held out his hand to abby's man, " I'm jess, abby's room mate… and you are…new."

Abby clucked her tounge, muttering 'rude' under her breath as the handsome blonde smiled shyly, stood up and shook jess' hand, "james… sorry about…abby said that… sorry…" he stammered.

"don't worry about it, man," he turned to his friend, " abby don't you open your stall at 5?"

Abby Jumped up, "GAH! Damn! Shitshitshit! shit… fuckitty fuck … shit…" she hopped around the room, pulling on her shoes- that was, until she tripped over the rug.

Jess smirked, 

_Typical abby… such a klutz…_

He walked over to her and prodded her with his foot, 

"hey, you know, abs – while you're down there…"

"DON'T even THINK it, mariano…" she growled.

---**flashback---**

**Jess' first day in ****Fez**** was a wild one – delayed trains, missing luggage, double booked hotel rooms… he needed to relax**

**_Geez_****_, any more things going wrong and I may just spontaneously combust._**

**_Mmm_****_  may_****_ as well check out the city before hunting for a nother hotel…_**

**He wandered through the streets, looking at the people, the animals, the buildings…**

**Until he came to a small market.******

**Browsing through each stall he found several great books he'd been wanting to read**

**_Too bad they're all in French._**

**Spotting a English-French dictionary, he grabbed it and looked around for the owner.**

**_This better be cheap – I spent all my money on that goddamn hotel room…_**

**A small young woman was suddenly at his side, gabbling in French,**

**"ce livre est absolument excellent! il est extrêmement utile si vous étiez intéressé à apprendre une langue..." **

**He tuned out as he looked at her, **

**_Big blue eyes… short brown hair… pale skin…_**

****

**_Woah_****_ woah woah.. pale skin???!_**

**Jess spoke, "do you speak english?"**

**The woman looked startled, "yeah, do you? … oh my god I can't believe I just asked that! I mean you bought an english- French dictionary!" she laughed at herself.**

**Jess smirked, "yeah, I also said 'do you speak english' which pretty much confirmed the face that I speak that language."**

**The girl blushed and swatted him on the shoulder.**

**"so, smart ass – I take it you're new here?"**

**"well, yea."**

**"how long you been here?"**

**"about five minutes."**

**"how long you thinking of staying here?"**

**_What is this, twenty questions?_**

**"however long I can keep a room for."**

**He raised an eyebrow**

**"huh. You can stay in my apartment, if you want?"**

**He smirked at her**

**_She gets right to the point…_**

**"…are you flirting with me…?"**

**she**** screwed up her mouth and leaned back, **

**"as 'stunningly gorgeous' as you seem to think you are, you are SO not my type!"**

**he**** clasped his hand to his chest, **

**"I'm hurt…may I ask why?"**

**she**** rolled her eyes, "duh! You're not blonde!"**

_---**end**** flashback---**_

By the time Abby and James had left, Jess found himself in his regular position.

He was sitting on kitchen table, looking at a picture.

_Not just any picture…_

_A picture of my rory.___

**_My__ rory.___**

He jumped off the table, walked to the fridge and drank some orange juice from the carton.

Shutting the door he saw a message tapes up against it, 

' Smart ass – Your Uncle called. Something about coming back for thanksgiving. You leaving me, fly boy?  - Abs xox'

_go__ back?_

_I can't go back!_

_She doesn't even understand why I left. _

_She wouldn't._

_For all the brains she has academically… she don't know jack when it comes to relationships._

_But… by god I'd do anything for a chance to explain to her._

_I can't write to her._

_I can't phone her…_

_I sure as hell can't go an _

_She thinks I left because I don't love her…_

_Does she not know me at all?_

_…_

_obviously__ not…_

****

---**Flashback---**

***flight AA982 is now boarding in gate 22, would all passengers please make their way to the gate as soon as possible***

**Jess stood up, "well," he turned to rory, "that's me."**

**Rory didn't move from her seat.**

**_Oh please rory… one last moment before I leave…_**

**"…rory?"**

**She stood up so quickly she almost knocked him over, "well GO then! If that's your freaking plane why don't you just go and get ON IT! You're leaving me! So what do you expect!? A firggin goodbye party, jess? What! Do you want me to wave banners for you? Shout 'hip hip hooray the love of my freakin' life is leaving me?!" her voice broke on this last word and she was shaking with emotion.**

**Jess sighed**

**_All I want is to tell her how much I love her. _**

**_How much I'll always love her…_**

**_No._**

**_Scratch that._**

**_All I want is to stay with her…_**

**_Hold her in my arms…_**

**He ran a hand through his hair and tried to calm his breathing, "okay then. Goodbye rory…"**

**His eyes lingered on her, hoping for a response. **

**Her head was bent low, a curtain of hair shielding her face.**

**"…goodbye, rory Gilmore," he said sombrely. **

**He turned and started to walk, blinking tears furiously away from his eyes when he heard her mutter, **

**"good riddance."**

**He froze, but daren't turn around. **

**Her**** kept walking.**

**_All I want is to stay with her…_**

**_Hold her in my arms…_**

**When he reached the passport check, he turned around.**

**Only to see the woman he loved, sobbing her heart out on the linoneum.**

**_All I want is to tell her how much I love her. _**

**_How much I'll always love her…_**

**_That I'm doing this _****for_ her…_**

****

**He gritted his teeth and kept walking.**

**---end flashback---**

A/N: here are the translations : 

"vous aiment des fritures avec cela?" – would you like fries with that, 

 "non, Monsieur - mais vous avez un bel âne." – no, mister. But you have a beautiful ass.

_ "voici votre repas - ayez un beau jour" – here is your meal, have a nice day_

, "vous aussi, garçon sexy " – you too, sexy boy

"sortez de la manière que vous chiez tête" – get out of the way, you shit head

"soyez silencieux, tête de pénis!" – shut up dickhead.

"ce livre est absolument excellent! il est extrêmement utile si vous étiez intéressé à apprendre une langue..." -that book is absolutely excellent! it is extremely useful if you were interested in learning a language...****


	3. roast potatoes, are burning my skin

A/N: here you go kiddies, yet again another instalment of my work – hope you like! i thankyou all for your reviews… and thanks for correcting my French.

I don't actually speak French – I was using an online language converter.. so no wonder I got it wrong! Hahaha … anyhoo – I noticed quite a few of your are upset about jess' conduct. Don't worry – there is reason behind the madness… it will all be revealed in due time. Also the new characters are there just to add a little depth to the story – I highly doubt everybody would still know everybody and live with everybody from their childhood. But it could happen! Anyhoo : I own nothing. Except two new characters in this chap – emma, hayden, bukky and the health inspector. ENJOY!

**Chapter Three: Roast Potatoes are burning my skin**

_ Here I am driving down to my mothers house for thanksgiving – a successful reporter driving a top of the range Porsche, with my luxurious white fluffy cat purring softly in the passenger seat…_

_I wish._

_Honestly: here I am driving to my mothers house (on pain of death) for thanksgiving – a failed reporter (who spends her time having to broadcast mind-numbingly boring stories, a.k.a local news) driving a bottom of the range '84 Honda Pro-City ( a tiny little red two-seater car which highly resembles that of Postman Pat's Van.) with my scraggly little great dane puppy (who looks eerily like 'scrappy-doo'…) fondly named 'bukowski'- or bukky-  gnawing at my 'back seat'. I say 'back seat' in inverted commas because as mentioned before I'm travelling In my 2-seater car! Therefore no back seat. _

Rory sighed deeply.

_What am I even doing, it's not like I want to go to thanksgiving. _

_I hate thanksgiving._

_I have nothing to be thankful for._

_Okay so I have a job._

_It may suck but at least I have a good time making fun of the local yokels._

_And alright, so I have a nice apartment._

_But that's only because Sarah has been seeing Tristan since college and he insisted on buying her an apartment and SHE insisted I move in with her – rent free… but I manage to transfer some money into her bank account._

_And so maybe I have good friends, and family I don't see all that much…_

_But I don't have what I want._

_Wanted._

_No… still want._

_…_

Rory pushed her sunglasses up her nose and ran a hand through her hair.

_I hate Thanksgiving._

_I hate the idea of it.._

_I hate the parade._

_I hate the anti-climax…_

_And I HATE the food._

_It usually turns up that way once you see a whole thanksgiving dinner come up backwards._

_---**flashback**__---_

**All Rory could do was stare.**

**The whole table was looking at her, waiting to see how she would react.**

**_Oh god…_**

**She stood up, the chair scraping the ground, and ran outside the house.**

**Jess put his glass down, **

**"shit!"**

**and chased her.**

**He found her sitting underneath the old chuppa, rocking herself slowly…**

**_How could he do this to me? Why would he want to go without me? What is going on? I don't understand… How could he do this to me? Why would he want to go without me? What is going on? I don't understand…How could he do this to me? Why would he want to go without me? What is going on? I don't understand.._**

****

**"Rory..?" jess said, softly.**

**_How could he do this to me? Why would he want to go without me? What is going on? I don't understand..._**

**Jess heard her sob, then whisper, "go away!" **

**He didn't retreat – but moved closer and put his hand on her shoulder.**

**She jumped up and screamed, "I said GO AWAY!" **

**_How could he do this to me? Why would he want to go without me? What is going on? I don't understand..._**

**"Rory, please…"**

**Looking at his face, Rory could see it was pained.**

**_So suffer… you brought this on yourself._**

**"No. you said you were leaving. So why don't you just go away? it'd do us all a favour!" She said, bitterly.**

**He slammed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, **

**"Rory, just let me –"**

**"NO! How could you do this to me?! Why would you want to go without me?! What is going on!? Why are you doing this?! Don't you love me anymo-"**

**Before she could finish her last question, he was kissing her.**

**Kissing her wish all the emotions he had inside him. **

**She melted in his arms…**

**_Why would he want to throw this all away… why… he can't just… no…no… NO…_**

**"NO!" She pushed him away from her, tears flowing freely from her eyes.**

**Through her blurred vision she couldn't see that his tears were flowing too…**

**"Rory, please, just –"**

**"why, jess? Don't you love me anymore?"**

**He winced, but moved closer. He clasped her hands in his, and brought them to his chest, **

**"Someday, you'll know."**

**He kissed her softly and walked off into the darkness…**

**_Someday, I'll know?..._**

**She fell on the ground and threw up.**

**---end flashback---**

She was pulling into Stars' Hollow now.

_Man, I could really use some coffee…_

She pulled up outside Luke's and walked up to the door.

It was locked.

_Locked? Luke's locked!? _

She then saw the sign on the door saying they opened at 9, she looked at her watch.

_7.30???_

_wow, I must have driven faster than I thought…_

She was about to turn away when she saw someone scrubbing the floor.

She knocked on the door,

"hello? I'm really sorry – but I'm absolutely dying for some coffee!..."

The girl on the floor stopped, looked at her, then resumed scrubbing,

"oh come on! Please?? Who knows what I'll do if I don't get coffee!"

_there has to be something that will get her to give me my drink…_

_aha!_

"please! I'm a Gilmore, you know!"

The girl on the floor jumped up so fast she looked like a blur- two seconds later, the door was flung open and rory was presented with a bowl of coffee.

She grinned, "thanks!"

The girl glared at her, and resumed scrubbing. 

_This place hasn't changed one bit…_

_A Gilmore can still get what she wants!_

She surveyed the diner and spotted a man wiping the windows, 

"Luk-" she started to say, but the man turned to reveal he was younger than herself and definitely not luke.

She pretended to cough, to cover her mistake, and looked at the two workers.

_There is something weird going on here._

_Both dressed in black._

_Both dyed black hair._

_Both loads of piercings and heavy eye make up…_

"um.. I know it's a stupid question – but do you two work here?"

The girl on the floor laughed at her.

_At me. Not with me._

While the man just nodded. 

Suddenly, luke came bounding through the front door.

"HAYDEN! EMMA! Did you two stay here again last night?!"

The two workers looked at eachother, then luke.

They both nodded.

"Sorry. We drank all the coke at home and went on a caffeine high –we couldn't sleep - so we figured we'd make ourselved useful and come here to clean."

Luke looked at them both skeptically, 

"yeah, well, you better not have given me a reason to re-mop the floors…"

he shuddered as the two workers laughed, "why do I always hire rebellious teens…?"

Rory frowned, remembering who the last one was…

"Rory?"

She jumped, Luke had seen her!

_Well, durrrrr, Rory! You're sitting at the counter – not hiding behind it!_

"Hey, luke!"

Luke looked as if he wanted to hug her, but thought better of it.

"I see you found your way here, alright?" she nodded, "how did you get in?"

Emma stood up and walked over, "she claimed she was a Gilmore – I didn't want to risk it…"

Luke laughed, "yeah – she's Lorelai's daughter."

Emma looked horrified, "no…"

Hayden walked over, "yeah she does look sorta like her…"

_Uhuh__ well, we do 'sorta' share the same genes and all… sheesh._

Luke started and turned to Rory, "these are my new employee's…Emma and Hayden Campbell. Caesar left – so we needed a new cook, and Jess –"

He stopped and blushed, while Emma and Hayden walked off into the kitchen…Luke jumped and followed,

"HEY! You two – not in the kitchen!! don't make me get the health department on my back again!"

Rory frowned.

---**flashback---**

**Rory had been on school holidays for …**

**_Oooh_****_ say…15 hours?_**

**And she was already bored.**

**She was sitting in the diner, watching Jess watching her watching him.**

**_Ahhh_****_… sigh._**

**She grinned as he nodded at her, then walked into the storeroom.**

**She jumped out of her chair and followed him in.**

**They shut the door.**

**Minutes later, the Health inspector marched into the diner for his annual June 15th 'surprise visit'. He greeted luke and insisted on a tour of the diner.**

**Luke showed him the upstairs office/apartment, then the kitchen, then the counter, then the dining areas… then he opened the door to the storeroom.**

**Rory was lying on the floor with jess on top of her.**

**Both teens froze and turned their heads towards the door.**

**_Its amazing the different colors peoples faces can go… Jess' is pink, mine is red, luke's is purple and the health inspector's is white… wait a minute… the HEALTH INSPECTOR!?_**

**Jess cursed, and they both jumped up and ran out of the diner – not stopping until they were at their bridge, doubled up with laughter…**

**--- end flashback ---**

****


	4. chicken wings, fly through the sky

a/n: sorry it took me so long to update but I was finishing 'consider this'… btw its all done – I am so so sad. 

I don't know whether I'll continue this.. :S 

Should i? review and let me know…

Love me xoxox

Chapter Four: Chicken wings (fly through the sky)

"okay, so are you going to leave me in the lurch, or what?" Abby said, as she sat down on the sofa.

Jess smirked and took a sip of his coffee, 

She narrowed her eyes at him, "don't ignore the question, mister – I know all your tactics!"

He set the coffee down on the table, then lay back against abby.

_I really don't know._

_If I go back, I'd just be there for my own selfish needs – just scoping out what happened while I was gone…_

_But if I don't, the family will be disappointed. Again._

_That is, if they even miss me in the first place…_

Abby played with his hair and said, very softly, "this is about Rory, isn't it?"

He went to sit up, but didn't have the energy.

_Isn't everything about rory?_

_My past, my present, my future…_

_Rory, rory, rory…_

_I'm sensing a pattern here._

He sighed and muttered, "How do you know about Rory?"

His roommate grinned micheiviously, "I'm a snoop, what do you reckon? I found all the pictures and the book markings and the notes and the letters and the keepsakes… need I go on? I'm not as air-headed as I look, mariano!"

He raised an eyebrow but just leaned into her more, 

"you know, abs, if I didn't know you better – I'd say you were stalking me!"

Abby shook her head, 

"Nah, I'm just good naturedly nosy!"

_ain't__ that the half truth._

"So, how are things with you and pretty boy?"

He laughed as Abby blushed.

"He IS pretty, isn't he?" she simpered, "hey! You dodged the question, AGAIN! Seriously, if I didn't know better – I'd say you were the most annoying person in the world!" 

_nah__… just a dodger…_

"nah, I'm just good naturedly testing!"

He looked up to see a cushion thwack him in the face.

---**flashback---**

**Jess pressed the doorbell.**

**_ok_****_, this is it. Just keep your cool._**

**_She's going to answer the door. True._**

**_Or at least I hope so – luke said Lorelai was away…_**

**_She will no doubt be hungry and attempting cooking – the perfect alibi for turning up unannounced._**

**_Ok. She will open the door, I will say something funny and clever, she will let me in, we will eat together. _**

**_Together being the operative part. _**

**_So then she –_**

**The door swung open, showing rory gaping at him.**

**_Quick._****_ Insert. Clever. Line. Here._**

**Jess smirked, "Delivery."**

**_God damn it_**

**Rory stared at him with wide eyes, "What are you doing here?"**

**_Okay, on with the spiel…_**

**He lifted up the box in his hands slightly, "Well, Luke figured since you're along tonight that maybe you wouldn't have any food in the house, so he sent over a care package."**

**_There. Good words, okay delivery… survey says…?_**

**_LOSER -- 78_**

**_And I agree…_**

**Rory frowned and shook her head, "I don't need a care package. I ordered food from Sandeep's." **

**_Shit. Cover blown and no real reason for staying here…._**

**_ "Really?_**** Planning on burning down the house afterwards?" **

**She looked disgruntled, "Jess." **

**He shrugged, "The only way to kill the smell,"**

**_Get in the house, get in the house._**

**He walked into the house confidently, "Where should I put this?" **

**Rory lingered at the door, still hesitant, "Well. . ." **

**_She's re-thinking, never a good sign._**

**_Mariano, you're running out of time… move move move!_**

**_"_****Kitchen?" he nodded towards the other room. **

**She started to move with him, "Um. . .sure."**

** _Okay round one over, one step closer to dinner with rory…_**

**She looked inside the box as jess unpacked, "God, how much food is in there? This could feed twelve!" **

**_Hah_**

**"Excuse me, I've seen you eat." **

**"Fine, six."**

**_She's suspicious… better revert back to the original plan._**

**"Yeah, well, he wanted you taken care of. He wasn't sure how long your mom was gonna be gone for."**

**_smooth_****__**

**rory**** looked pointedly at him, "Just tonight." **

**"Oh, he didn't know that."**

**_Oh I didn't know that…_**

**"Well, now you can tell him." **

**"I will." **

**The two teens stood awkwardly in silence until, "So how come Caesar didn't bring this over?"**

**_Ah, just like rory to investigate the situation. I should have known she'd be suspicious… _**

**"I volunteered." **

**"Why?"**

**_what_****_, you don't think I've asked myself that same question every step of the way here?_**

**_Why am I carrying food?_**

**_Why am going to the gilmores house?_**

**_Why do I want to see rory?_**

**_Why do I need to see rory?_**

**_Why do I even like rory?_**

**_Why do I even lov –_**

**_Okay, enough of that._**

**_Wheres_****_ the magnificent bullshit artist in me that we all know and love???_**

**"Just wanted to get out of the construction zone.**** There's nothing but banging and yelling. That place gives me a headache."**

**_Man, I should throw myself a parade._**** __**

**"Oh."**

**_May as well test the waters a bit…_**

**"Why – did you think I wanted to come over here and see you?" **

**"No."**

**_why_****_ not?_**

**"Just needed some quiet." **

**"Fine."******

** "That is all."**

**"Got it."**

**"Clear my head."**

**"I understand."**

**Another tense silence filled the air.**

**_She wants me to leave._**

**_She's uncomfortable._**

**_I shouldn't have come.._**

**_What was I thinking?????!!!_**

**_…oh yeah._******

**_May as well stay then!_**

**He touched the food box lightly, "So, aren't you gonna eat?" **

**She still seemed uneasy, "Eventually." **

**"It gets cold fast."**

**"I can heat it up." **

**_"_****Reheated French fries really suck."__**

**"Hm, they do suck."**

**_Okay, all caution is now thrown to the wind. I'm going to do ANYTHING to stay here…_**

**"Yeah, so, eat."**

**"Okay, I will. You're still standing there." **

**"I know. You didn't give me a tip." **

**"You want money?" **

**"No, I'll take a fry though." **

**"Okay, yeah, have as much as you want." **

**"Okay, great," Jess took off his jacket and put it over a chair.**

**Rory stared at him, "What are you doing?" **

**Jess sat down and looked up at her, "Getting ready to eat." **

**She shook her head, confused, "You're staying?" **

**He smirked, "Didn't you just invite me?"**

**_Aaaaaaaaaaaaand_****_ I'm in._**

**---end flashback---**

Sweat dripped from his forehead and jess gripped the armrest until his hands were white.

_I hate to fly._

_I hate it._

_I not only hate it, I am freakin' scared shitless of it._

_I don't want to die! Especially not in the most traumatic way of .. oh .. lets see.._

_PLUMMETING TO THE EARTH LIKE A FREAKIN' DART!_

_Okay.. breathe… I can do this. _

_One…two…three…four…_

He took a deep breath and looked around him.

Couples, families, business men, working women…people of all sorts surrounded him, most of them American.

_Figures, an American airline on its way to __America__ would contain American people._

_Although it's a hell of a lot easier than speaking French to everybody.___

_And I'd get to see her again…_

_… I wonder if she's done what I'd hoped…_

_maybe__… maybe…_

_mmmm__ speaking of her… I need coffee…._

He looked up and down the aisle to see the air hostesses putting dinners onto their trolley.

Jess' stomach lurched and he unbuckled his seatbelt.

_Then again, maybe not.___

He walked unsteadily down the narrow path and pushed past the girls, into the bathroom.

He collapsed against the door.

_I hate to fly._

---**flashback****­---**

**Jess was sitting in his seat with the buckle done up so tight he couldn't breathe.**

**_I can't breathe._**

**_I can't breathe._**

**_I can't breathe._**

**He looked to the girl sitting next to him, reading.**

**_She can travel perfectly well, whereas I am here… a nervous wreck._**

**_This bites._**

**"rory…"**

**She put her hand over his and stroked it lightly, **

**"jess, its only a two hour flight… breathe…"**

**he**** rolled his eyes,**

**_I wish._**

**"you don't understand rory…"**

**"we haven't even taken off yet! But I DO understand."**

**He shook his head at her, "no you don't."**

**"yes I do"**

**"don't"**

**"do"**

**"don't"**

**"don't"**

**"do!" He slapped his hand against his forehead, "dammit!"**

**She smiled smugly and leaned back in her chair, strectching her arms, "oldest trick in the book!"**

**"yeah, I bet you learned it off your mother."**

**She gave him a look and went back to her book.**

**_Wah_****_ wah wah._****_ Books books books._**

**_Books suck._**

**_Okay now I know I'm getting delirious._**

**"rory…"**

**she**** turned and grabbed his shoulders, mocking him – her eyes bugging out of her head.**

**"JESS!!!!!**** JESS!!!!!"**

**he**** smirked, "gee, ma'am if I had known that's all I had to do to make you cry out my name, I would have gone flying with you earlier!"**

**she**** smacked him arm, "jess, don't be chicken!"**

**he**** frowned, "I am not chicken."**

**The plane rumbled, announcing its own take-off. **

**He jumped, "rory…"**

**She harrumphed in her seat, but turned to him again, "jess, I'm going to do something now that will totally make you forget that we're about to leave the ground."**

**He looked out the window and saw said ground rushing past the window, "I highly doubt that, rory."**

**She took his face into her hands and kissed him passionately.**

**_Plane?_******

**_What plane?_**

**_----end flashback----_**


End file.
